Alone but free
by Crow3798
Summary: Clarke left, so now she is alone. She is on her own, but she is free. She will struggle to survive in the harsh woods, but Clarke always finds a way to survive. She has no where to go yet, but she swears she needs time to come to terms with what she did. But maybe time is the exact opposite of what she needs. Starts after season two. Action, love, romance, friendship and all that.
1. Chapter 1

She was finally alone. Her mom wasn't around to chastise practically everything she did. No Octavia to do nothing but glare at her. No Bellamy to convince her to go back. No Lexa to break her trust. She was free. Free to do anything she wanted without having to worry about her friends. It was the first time since the drop ship had landed that she felt truly free. And she was loving every minute of it.

She didn't know where she would go yet, she didn't feel welcome back at camp Jaha and she would never look at any of them the same. Not without feeling the guilt for what she did in Mount Weather. Going to Lexa was not an option. The commander had betrayed her trust, left Clarke and her people alone to die. She would never be forgiven. Clarke was sure of that. So, she was currently resting inside the drop ship that had originally brought the hundred juvenile's to Earth. It was funny, really. She never would have thought that she would be back here. She wondered what would have happened if the grounders had not broken their alliance. Maybe they would have been able to rescue their people without so many deaths. The blonde shook her head. She should not think about it. She did what she had to, and now it is over. Life will go on. Her friends are safe at camp, and she was no longer a problem for them. She let out a sigh, deciding that she needed to sleep now that night was coming. So, she shuffled into a laying position and closed her eyes, sleep soon overtaking.

It was only a few hours before Clarke was woke by nightmares. She dreamed about what had happened in Mount Weather. What she did to so many innocent people. She was haunted by their spirits, and she couldn't seem to shake it off. She had too much blood on her hands. Clarke found herself beginning to wish that her mother was here, to offer comforting words. But that would never happen. Abby wouldn't look at Clarke the same, knowing she killed so many innocent people. It did not matter that their people were saved, so many died inside that mountain. They could have been spared. If Clarke had only waited another minute for Jasper to kill Cane. Clarke had to stop herself from bursting in to tears. She had to be strong. And for once, it was for her. Not for the people that looked up to her. She needed to be strong for herself. If she cried, she would break. And she wouldn't return. If she was to survive out here alone, she needed to be strong.

Only a moment later, and the sound of metal clattering outside startled Clarke. She hesitated before rising to her feet, her heart beating faster as she looked around for any kind of weapon. She mentally berated herself for not bringing a gun from camp with her. She had no way to defend herself if she was attacked. Cautiously, she reached out for a metal pipe near the ladders to the upper floor. But, before she could grab the pipe, a reaper ran into the drop ship. It didn't take long for Clarke to be pinned down, but she desperately fought against the reaper. She tried to shove on his chest, but the reaper was a lot stronger than her. The only thing Clarke could think of was the pipe. She needed that to get the reaper off of her. She reached out with her left hand, but she was too far away. She tried to struggle to the pipe, but it was no use. The reaper was trying to bite her neck, and was almost successful but Clarke kneed him in the stomach, temporarily winding him. She pushed the reaper off before rolling for the pipe. Not long after, the reaper was on his feet and towering over Clarke. The girl quickly got to her feet and readied herself to hit the reaper with the pipe, but before she had the chance, the reaper couched up blood into her face before dropping to the ground. She studied the dagger protruding from his back before looking up to up t the entrance to the drop ship just in time to see an unfamiliar grounder run out. She quickly followed out into the open, but she was alone. The grounder was no where to be seen.

Clarke had since returned into the drop ship and disposed of the reaper's body. She sat by the ladders, fiddling with the dagger. She could not figure out why a grounder would want to save her. The only grounders that seemed to like her were some of those from the Woods Clan under Lexa's command. But after what happened the other night, it could not have been any of the commander's warriors. Surely. Just to be sure, Clarke decided it was best to confront Lexa. She needed to know. And if it was Lexa, she needed the commander to understand that she no longer wanted anything to do with her. Or the other grounders. She could protect herself. She needed to protect herself.

With her mind made up, she finally stood up as the sun was beginning to rise. If she went to speak to the grounder commander now, she would be able to try and find food before dark tonight. So, the girl took her first steps outside the drop ship since the reaper had attacked. She took in a breath of fresh air, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the forest. Skeletons of burned grounders still somewhat scattered the clearing, but new grass was beginning to grow. And even some flowers. She had never had a chance to enjoy her surroundings. It had always been about surviving or looking out for her people. So she took advantage of the moment before she set off to Tondc where Lexa was most likely to be. She made sure that she was not being followed, and she remained quiet as she trekked through the woods. She stayed alert, almost continuously looking around to make sure the grounder from the night did not return. She had a weapon now, so she could at least defend herself.

The journey to Tondc was fairly quiet. Only the sound of leaves rustling and birds chirping in the trees filled her ears. But the journey also went quick, and before she knew it she was standing in the middle of Tondc surrounding by grounders about to attack her.

"I want to speak with Lexa," Clarke explained.

The grounders looked as though they did not care. They were ready to attack her when Indra called them off.

"I will fetch the commander," she told Clarke before disappearing in to a hut.

The grounders that were previously surrounding here dispersed, but still sent glares her way. Some of them nodded to her, the ones who didn't hate her anyway. Clarke ignored the grounders for now and tried to listen in to the conversation in the hut Indra had disappeared into. She recognized both Indra and Lexa's voices, but she could not understand what they were saying. She caught 'Klarke kom Skaikru' since she knew what that meant, but she had no idea about the rest of the conversation. But the one line indicated that Indra was telling the commander that Clarke had come to see her. It was only a few more moments when Indra exited the hut, a cold gaze on her face. She nodded to Clarke before heading further in to the village. The girl took it as the go ahead, so she entered the hut and was met with Lexa sitting on her Throne, playing with the dagger she always carried.

"Why are you here, Clarke?" the commander asked.

She was glad that the girl had come, but she was unsure of her intentions. She assumed that after the deal she made with the Mountain Men, that Clarke would never wish to speak with her again.

"You should know why I am here." Clarke began, her face now angry.

Lexa was taken aback by the blonde's abrupt start to the conversation. She looked at the girl with a slight confused expression. Was this about the deal? It had to be, it was the only thing she could think of.

"I am sorry for what I did, but I was thinking about my people. I had to-" Lexa began, but was soon cut off when Clarke raised a hand.

"No. That is not why I am here." Clarke said, assertiveness lacing her tone. "You sent a warrior to follow me to the drop ship. He killed a reaper that was attacking me last night."

Lexa's brow raised slightly. "I can assure you that I had nothing to do with this."

"Then why would he try and protect me? None of the Clan leaders like me enough to send someone to keep me safe. And your warriors would not do something like that without orders." Clarke retaliated, fuming at the fact that Lexa was trying to deny this.

"I have ordered my warriors to stay away from all Sky people." Lexa replied, shaking her head. "I do not know who would want to disregard orders to keep you safe , but it would be best to return to your camp. More reaper's may come if you're alone again." She added, now wondering why Clarke was alone at the drop ship to begin with.

Before Lexa had a chance to say anything else, Clarke had dismissed herself. She would not listen to Lexa's lies any longer. Why should she believe anything that traitor said anyway? She could not be trusted. Coming here was a bad idea, it had just made Clarke mad and gave her nothing as to why someone felt the need to protect her. Clarke let out an exasperated breath before leaving the village. She needed to be alone. She only felt safe when she was alone. She had no one else to worry about and could think about herself for a change.

Now back in to the woods, Clarke made no effort to be quiet. She did not care. She was angry. Angry at Lexa. Angry at herself. Angry at everything. The blonde let out a groan when she felt spots of rain drip on her head. She picked up the pace, not wanting to get stuck out in a storm. Before long, the rain was pouring and thunder clashed above her head. The sky grew dark as grey clouds engulfed it. Every so often, a strike of lightening would brighten up the sky but it was no better. Clarke had no idea where she was walking. She didn't know if she was going in the right direction or if she was anywhere near the drop ship. She had completely lost her bearings. She had let her mind wander off, and now she was stuck in the rain. There was no where to go, so she sat at the base of a tree. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest before burying her head into her lap, drying to drown out the terrifying sounds of rain thumping down around her and the thunder echoing through the sky. Maybe being alone was not really that great after all.

Clarke stayed there until the rain stopped, unable to see the dark figure watching her from a distance. He made no effort to hide himself. The storm did not bother him. Clarke needed to be kept safe. He knew she would not survive on her own, so he needed to keep her safe. He kept at a distance, just watching Clarke. He did not need to take his eyes off of her. He was trained well enough to know when danger was near that he did not even have to look around.

If Clarke had looked up, she would have seen the grounder watching her. She would have seen his dark brown hair, his piercing green eyes and the black paint around his eyes now running down his face. If she had looked up, she would have seen the man that saved her.

But she did not look up. She stayed where she was until the rain subsided. She was not strong. She was weak. She was scared of the storm. She wanted to go home. But she could not stand to go back. She still felt guilty about what she did, and she had not seen her friends since they escaped two days ago. She needed more than two days. It was not enough time for her to be okay with what she did. Perhaps she will never be okay with it. She was a monster. She would be alone forever. Clarke allowed herself to be weak. She allowed herself to sob. She let her body tremble from both the cold rain and the crying as she was forced to accept that this could be her life. Alone and afraid. There was nothing she could do about it.

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**AN: So, thanks for reading. I just managed to catch up on season two, so I just finished it and I could not help but wonder what Clarke would do alone. So, I kind of explore a little bit on her feelings and how she will manage to survive. More characters in chapters to come, but the focus will be on Clarke, and I may explore the relationships with Bellamy and Lexa. But I will say this right now, Clexa is most likely going to be end game.**

**I think you will be able to figure it out, but 'Klarke kom Skaikru' means Clarke of the Sky people. **


	2. Chapter 2

The rain had stopped a few hours ago, and Clarke had managed to make it back to the drop ship safe and sound. The sun was shining now, a drastic change from her journey back from Tondc. It was well after mid day, but still a few hours before the sun would set. Clarke was currently debating whether or not to go hunting. She had not ate anything since she left Camp Jaha, and she knew she had to eat soon. But she was not sure if she would be able to hunt. Yes, she had the dagger that had killed the reaper, but she had no idea how to use it. She would be able to kill something in close combat, but she had never hunted before. She thought about how her life had been so easy. She had gotten stressed worrying about her people, but it was not hard to survive with the protection of the others. They brought her food, kept her safe and made sure she was in good health. Now, she was on her own.

She figured she needed to learn at some point, so she rose to her feet and looked around the clearing. There had been no signs of the grounder from the night since the incident happened. She was not sure whether or not to be happy about that, but she tried to not worry about it. She focused on finding food as she wandered into the woods, her stomach beginning to rumble.

Clarke was a useless tracker. She was unsure of what she needed to look for to be able to find any animal. Tracks would help, but she had no idea how to tell what tracks belonged to which animal. She took to following one set of tracks, hoping to see if it led her anywhere useful. Each time she ended up loosing the tracks she had been following. She had not seen any kind of animal yet, but luckily she had stayed within the area she knew, so she was able to locate the drop ship when the sun was beginning to set. Three hours she had been out trying to find something to eat. And she had found nothing but a few berries from a bush outside camp. Oh well, it would have to do.

Now back at the drop ship, she was sat in the clearing in front of a fire. She had already consumed the handful of berries, but her stomach still growled. She let out a sigh as she brought her knees up to her chest in an attempt to muffle the sounds, but it was not doing much to help. It was getting late, and the sun had disappeared below the trees, so Clarke decided to head in to the drop ship. She stood up and kicked dirt over the fire to put it out before quickly walking into the ship, her arms crossed over her chest. Without the fire, she was now feeling the cold of the breeze blowing overhead.

It did not take Clarke long to climb the ladders up to the second floor of the drop ship and close the hatch. After last night, she did not want to take any chances if more reaper's found her. And if she woke, there was a dirty window that looked out over the clearing so she would at least be able to see if anything approached. For now, the blonde girl lay down beneath the window, pulling a few scraps of cloth over her as makeshift blankets to help keep her warm.

She lay there, eyes closed for a while. She was not sure how long it had been, but all she could think about was food. She was desperately hungry, but after today she had lost all faith in her ability to hunt. It was impossible to learn alone. If she was to catch food, she would have to be smart. Maybe create a few traps? She could place them near the bushes on the outside of the clearing, and use the berries to attract small rodents. She would have to, it was her only option. There was no way she was going to hunt again.

Now that she was able to stop thinking about food, she found herself thinking about everything that had happened since she hand landed on Earth, how everything was her fault. It was her fault that Charlotte killed Wells. If she had just stopped being so selfish, they would have never lost their friendship to begin with. He would not have been out alone with Charlotte. She thought about how Charlotte jumping over the cliff was her fault. She could have stopped her, maybe even offered forgiveness. It was her fault that they were all captured and taken to Mount Weather. It was her fault Finn killed eighteen innocent grounders. It was her fault Finn sacrificed himself to the grounders. It was her fault so many died in Tondc because of the missile. She could have warned them. It was her fault all those innocent people died inside Mount Weather. Everything bad that had happened seemed to have been caused by Clarke. It was better now that she was alone. She would not be a burden on them any more.

There was no way that she could sleep with everything on her mind. So, she lay staring at the ceiling with her hands rested underneath her head. She stayed like that, gaze unmoving as the sun gradually rose up. Even though she would not sleep, Clarke stayed like that all morning. She did not want to move. She did not want everything she had been thinking about to sink in. She did not want it to become real. In a desperate attempt to make everything go away, she closed her eyes tight, thinking of everything good that had happened since they got here. She had made new friends. Jasper, Monty, Bellamy, Raven, Finn, Octavia, possibly Lincoln and Nyko. She had even thought of Lexa as a friend. Until the commander betrayed her trust. Clarke quickly opened her eyes, jaw clenched tightly as she now thought about the commander. She understood why Lexa did what she did, but she could not understand why Lexa did not even try to fight. To help Clarke save her people. She says she cares about the blonde, yet she left her alone. She abandoned Clarke when she probably needed her the most. It was not something that she would easily get over.

Clarke had done enough thinking. Everything she tried to think about always brought her back to feeling guilty about what she had done, or feeling angry at Lexa's betrayal. She tossed the cloth scraps to the side before rising to her feet. She stretched her arms before opening up the hatch and easily making her way down the ladder. When she jumped off a few steps from the ground, a loud thud echoed around the drop ship. She turned around, to face the entrance, but was surprised at what she saw on the ground by the doorway. Her eyes grew wide and her lips parted ever so slightly as she focused on the dead rabbit. It was fresh, obviously just killed. And it had not been there long, else it would have attracted larger predators.

She was unsure what to do with it, but she had to do something with it right away. She walked over and picked it up, making sure to keep it at arms length as she carried the carcass outside. There was nothing else in sight, but her fire had been re-lit. Maybe it was the grounder? It was the only thing she could think of. The grounder must have been watching her try and hunt last night, and brought her food today. But, she still did not know why he would be trying to help her. She did not get a good look at his face when he killed the reaper, but she was pretty sure she did not recognise him.

All thoughts of the grounder now gone, Clarke focused on trying to skin the rabbit. She used the dagger to cut into the neck, before stripping it of the fur and skin. It was hard, and she had to stop herself from gagging, but it was the only way to skin a rabbit she knew, since she had seen Octavia help the grounders. After the rabbit was free of its skin, she took hold of the stick she had been using to poke the fire, and quickly impaled the rabbit with it. She then held it over the fire to cook. It would take a while, but she had nothing else to do, so she sat quietly watching the bright orange flames consume the rabbit.

When the rabbit was finally cooked, Clarke took to tearing the meat away from the bone and hungrily stuffing it into her mouth. It barely filled her, but it was a start. She knew she should have questioned the rabbit. Maybe been more cautious of it in case it was poisoned or anything, but had been too hungry to think about that.

Now that she had eaten, she needed to start making traps to be able to catch her own food from now. She waited a while after eating for the rabbit to settle down before she set to work on gathering small sticks and pieces of wood. She had seen some rope inside the drop ship, which would work well as a snare. She quickly retrieved the thin rope and used it to tie the sticks together. When she tested it, it worked efficiently. She could not help but smile to herself, she had practiced making traps in Camp Jaha after her mother lectured her about needing to at least contribute in some way. Abby would not let her go on patrols, or out hunting with the guards, so her mother had her make traps with Octavia to set around the wire fence. She couldn't help but laugh as she remembered Octavia. She knew the girl hated her for Tondc, but in a way Clarke looked up to the brunette. She admired the way Octavia never gave up. She was full of courage, and had an unwavering spirit. It was something even Indra admired, despite hating Sky people. Clarke shook her head, it was wrong to allow herself to think of her friends. She needed to try and forget them. At least for now.

With a small sigh, Clarke set to work on placing the two traps she had made outside camp. She placed a few of the berries from the bushes in the center of the traps, hopefully they would attract berry eating animals. Hopefully. When they were set, Clarke decided to refill her canteen at the river. It was not too far away, it was the first significant place she went when she first landed on Earth; trying to find Mount Weather with Octavia, Finn, Monty and Jasper.

After a short trek, she found herself standing on the river bank. She crouched down, having already unscrewed the lid of her canteen. She dipped the flask into the river, until it was full. She took a sip of the cool, refreshing water before standing up straight and screwing the lid back on. When she turned around, she nearly dropped the flask on the ground.

There, standing tall in front of the tree line was the grounder that had saved her. He was not expecting her to turn around so quick, so he did not have chance to leave before he was seen. But there was no point in him moving now. She had seen him.

Clarke let her eyes roam over the man, taking in his dark hair. It was about shoulder length, curled at the bottom, but it looked to be tied back in a loose ponytail. He was wearing a dark colored cloak that was covered in dirt. It had clearly seen better days. Finally, she focused on his eyes. She could see they were a magnificent shade of olive green. But what intrigued her the most was the black surrounding his eyes. It took away a lot of his facial features, but for some reason, he reminded her of someone. She could not quite place it. She had never met this man before, but she felt like he was somewhat familiar. After a moment's silence, the grounder finally spoke.

"Ai laik Kaliban," he called to her, face showing no expression.

Clarke shook her head a little, she recognized the language to be that of the trikru, but she did not speak it. However, it was clear to her now that he was one of Lexa's warriors.

"I do not speak fluent trigedasleng," Clarke replied.

The grounder nodded, but still showed no emotions. "I know. I am Caliban," he answered her.

"Of the Woods Clan?" Clarke asked, but only received a shake of a head.

He was not a part of the Woods Clan? But he spoke their language?

"You were born there, though." Clarke said, barely above a mutter.

She now looked at the ground to the left, her face growing confused as she tried to figure out who this grounder was. She did not recognise the name, nor his face, but he still seemed familiar.

"I don't-" Clarke began as she looked back up, but was met with nothing. Caliban had disappeared with no trace.

For a moment, Clarke just stood there, taking in the conversation that had just taken place. She now knew the grounder's name, but it did not help her figure out why he was helping her. He could have been helping her because he used to be a member of the Woods Clan? But why did he leave? Clarke could not figure it out, so she just shook her head as she began the journey back to the drop ship.

As she walked through the woods, Caliban was watching from a distance. He followed through the trees with practiced stealth, not even having to be careful. Moving quietly through the woods came natural to him. He was perfectly at home as he followed Clarke, making sure she was safe.

"Mela op. Loka au," he whispered, reminding himself to always be alert to do his job. He would not fail this time, so he continued to mutter the words over and over until he was stood outside of Clarke's camp, watching the blonde.

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**AN: So, thanks for reading this again. I am not entirely sure how many chapters this will be, but I do have a rough plan. Any ideas on who Caliban is, or why he wants to protect Clarke? Drop a review, favorite/follow if you like it. Enjoy your day.**

**Ai laik Kaliban - I am Caliban.**

**Mela op. Loka au - Head up. Eyes open.**


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a few days since Clarke had even seen Caliban. She was not really sure whether she should be happy or not, but she did know that she wanted to know a little more about the strange grounder. She had thought non-stop about him for three days now, ever since the first conversation. Although it was incredibly annoying to constantly think about him, she had to admit that it was nice to have not thought about her people or Lexa for a while. It had let her mind rest, and she honestly felt a little happier without the guilt constantly on her mind.

She had managed to catch several rabbits and squirrels using her traps since she had set them up. So, she was pretty well fed and had only been venturing out of camp to refill her water bottle when needed. She had not had any more encounters with reapers, so life had been pretty easy recently. But it was getting rather boring being alone. She had no one to talk to. No one to do anything with. She just lounged around, not really doing much.

When she had grown tired of just sitting in camp all day, she had decided to take a walk. She knew the forest from her time at the drop ship with the other delinquents sent down from the Ark, so she was not worried about getting lost. Unless there was another storm, then she would be screwed.

She was not even out in the forest for more than five minutes when she heard horses. She turned in the direction of the sound, trying to look through the trees as the sound grew louder. After a minute, her eyes widened when she saw Lexa atop her white horse skidding to a halt in front of her.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked, almost confused. "Why are you out here alone?"

"This is not grounder land." Clarke replied, her voice filled with hostility.

Lexa dismissed the hostility as she proceeded to get off her horse along with her two guards and look around for a moment before she finally focused on Clarke again.

"I am aware that we are not in our lands. But we have received news of an exiled member of our Clan venturing over our borders. As you know, we do not take kindly to these things, so we are looking for him in order to punish him." Lexa explained, the usual stoic expression on her face.

Clarke shrugged, "Well I have not seen anyone." she replied, returning the cold glare from the grounder commander.

"Very well. But be careful. This traitor goes by the name of Caliban. Do not let him fool you, as he speaks our language." Lexa said before turning and hoisting herself up on to her horse.

The two grounder guards followed suit, and they all turned and set off back towards their village when Lexa gave the command. Clarke stared after them until she was sure they were gone. They were looking for Caliban? And they had called him a traitor? He seemed so sweet, what could he have possibly done do get himself exiled? Clarke shrugged it off. It was none of her concern. She had not seen the grounder in three days, so she guessed that he had moved on.

She continued on her walk shortly after, making sure she did not loose herself in her thoughts so that she ended up lost. She did not want to be stranded away from camp, or accidentally wander too far and loose her bearings. So, she made sure to take in every significant landmark that she passed. Just in case.

It had not been long until she found herself standing in front of the bunker that she and Finn had hid in after an encounter of the acid fog. They had also found guns in there. She opened the door, hoping to find a few weapons they may have forgotten. A gun would be more useful fighting off reapers, since she was not too sure about using a dagger. And if there were more than one reaper, she would be screwed.

Upon entering the bunker, she was instantly flooded with memories of Finn. She could not help but miss him. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away and took a deep breath as she got to work on searing for any kind of gun. She checked where they had first found the light machine guns first, but as expected there was nothing there.

After a few minutes of searching, she had found a small hand gun in a drawer from the dressing table. Unfortunately, it was not loaded, and she could not find any bullets. Great. It would not be much use without bullets, but she still tucked it into the hem of the shorts she was wearing before leaving the bunker.

She closed the door behind her, and turned around, but was quickly knocked down to the ground. She let out a painful cry as something sharp dug into her leg. Her vision was blurred, but she reached down to her leg and felt the blood coat her hands. As she began to focus again, her gaze landed on a boar getting ready to charge her again. It would appear that the boar's tusk had penetrated her leg. If she did not manage to clean it and bandage it, then it would get infected. But she could not stand, and the boar was now approaching rather fast.

Clarke's hands shot up to protect her face, waiting for the impact that never came. It seemed like an eternity of waiting for the boar to attack again. She eventually lowered her hands and gasped at the sight in front of her. Caliban was hovering over the boar's carcass, only a couple metres away from herself. His hands, and the small blade in one, were covered and dripping blood. She looked down at the boar, seeing the several puncture marks around the neck and abdomen.

She was beginning to feel weak, drifting in and out of consciousness as she placed her hand on the gash in her leg, trying to stop the bleeding. She was vaguely aware of Caliban crouching down beside her and doing his best to keep pressure on her wound. He was no healer, but all grounders were aware of the basics. Clarke slumped to the ground, eyes closed, as she blacked out. With strong arms, Caliban hoisted Clarke over his shoulder and began to journey to the drop ship. The weight of Clarke over his shoulders made him heavy footed, but he was not worried about the noise he was making. He needed to get Clarke back to her camp in order to help her wound.

The sun had gone, the moon high in the sky when Clarke woke. She was laying flat on the ground, a couple lengths away from the fire in the middle of the clearing. She forced herself to sit, instantly feeling the pain in her leg. Clarke let out a groan but instinctively reached for the wound on her leg. She quickly retracted her hand when she felt the soft cloth wrapped around her leg, covering the wound. The last thing she could remember was the boar, so she was unsure of how she got back to camp. And how her wound ended up bandaged.

As she looked around, she spotted Caliban starting at her from across the fire. When she tried to stand up, the grounder male shook his head.

"You must rest, Clarke of the Sky people." he called to her, voice deep and gruff.

Clarke nodded, and settled back in to her seat, propping up on her elbows so that she could still see the grounder. The fire did not offer much light, but now that the grounder had no paint around his eyes, she could see his facial features clearly. Wrinkles were beginning to form along his forehead and in the corner of his eyes. He had also developed slight bags underneath his eyes and his nose appeared crooked, probably having been broken many times in battle. He looked to be in his late thirties, but despite his aged appearance, Clarke could tell that he was well kept and seemed to be pretty healthy.

"How do you know my name?" She finally asked, "And why do you keep helping me?"

Caliban continued to stare at her, his gaze unwavering. It made Clarke slightly nervous, but she remained where she was, gazing back at him. But still, she received no reply. After another moment of waiting, the blonde girl let out a sigh. Shuffling her elbows slightly to become more comfortable, her gaze finally wandered off of Caliban. She half expected him to be gone when she looked back up, but instead, he was towering over her. Clarke gulped, feeling tempted to shuffle back. She had no idea what he was going to do to her.

She was completely surprised when he stretched his hand to offer her some kind of meat resting on a metal plate. She was not sure where he had gotten the plate from, but she took it anyway.

"Thank you," she said, placing the plate beside her for later.

Caliban shook his head at the young girl, gesturing to the plate with his hands. His gaze remained on Clarke, it was almost as if he did not want to let her out of his sight.

"You need energy to heal. It would be wise to eat now," he said to her.

Clarke briefly looked from the food and back up to Caliban. He must have been the one to bring her the rabbit after her first failed hunt. She suddenly began to feel embarrassed at the thought of him watching her hunt, and fail miserably at tracking her prey.

"I will eat after you answer my questions," Clarke replied with an almost smug grin; it may be the only way to get the answers she wanted.

For a minute, Caliban seemed to look rather unsure of himself. He looked to be having an internal war with himself, as his gaze seemed distant and his face betrayed a hint of uncertainty. But, it was all gone as soon as it had appeared, and his usual emotionless expression returned.

"I have watched you and your people since you got here. I was uncertain about you, but I have seen one of the trikru, Lincoln, take an interest in one of your women. It was then I decided your people were no threat to me. I have heard people speak your name, and many other names of your people," the grounder explained.

Clarke took a moment for it to sink in. That explained how he knew her name.

"And why are you helping me?" She asked him.

"I do not wish to see you fall. It takes time for a flower to bloom. Like it takes time for a warrior to learn how to fight, hunt and survive." He replied, taking in Clarke's look of confusion.

"I am no warrior."

"Not yet. But you have a warriors spirit. Many of the Clan respected you. Not all. But most."

Clarke shook her head, "I did not do that very well. The commander betrayed us and left my people to die."

At this, Caliban looked almost confused. He took a moment, deciding whether or not he should reply. It did not take him long before he grew curious.

"I was not at the battle. I could not risk it. But I wish to know why Anya would that." Caliban eventually answered.

Clarke was shocked a little. She was not expecting any kind of reply, but she was a little confused as to why he still thought Anya was the commander.

"Anya?" she echoed, only half aware she was speaking.

Caliban nodded, "Yes, heda kom Trikru."

Now, even thought Clarke did not speak trigedasleng, she knew what that meant. So, Caliban must be unaware that Anya was dead, and Lexa was now the commander.

"No, you do not understand. Anya is dead. We were captured by the mountain men, but we escaped. Together. We had plans to make peace between sky people and the grounders, but before she could make it back, she was killed at the hands of my people."

Shock crossed Caliban's face. He had not been close to Anya, but she was the commander at the time he was exiled. He respected her, and would always thank her for being merciful and letting him live despite his crimes. Clarke saw the look of shock, and began to feel empathetic towards the grounder.

"It is okay to grieve," she offered, hoping it wold comfort him.

Caliban shook his head. "Stedaunon don gon we en kikon ste enti," he simply replied before looking at Clarke again, "Who is commander now?"

Clarke raised a brow, wondering what he had just said. But, she brushed it off when the question was asked. She knew what she needed to for now, so it was only fair that she gave Caliban his desired information in return.

"Lexa is the commander now."

Upon hearing this, Caliban held a look of pure shock. Clarke took it that he knew the girl well, and was not expecting her to become commander. She did not know how he would not know this, if he had been following her. Surely he would have been listening in on her conversations with the commander as well.

"How did you not know?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

"I dare not follow you into their land," he replied.

"But you must have seen Lexa in the forest this morning. She was looking for you, she said you had been seen in their land."

Caliban shook his head before trying to explain, "I did see her. But a commander does not usually leave their land, even to look for trespassers. The commander usually only goes to the capitol, and that is only when it is needed. So, when I saw here, I had assumed she had been sent by Anya."

"But did you not see Anya die? We were both outside of Camp Jaha when she was killed," Clarke answered, Caliban's reply had done little to help her confusion.

"I only saw you and your people taken by the mountain men. I left for Polis the next day, seeking help to retrieve you. Unfortunately, no one was willing. Upon my return, I found you in your people's camp. I kept at a distance, but I have been watching you since then."

"So, if you did not know Lexa was the new commander, you must have been exiled before Anya was captured."

Caliban nodded, "That is correct. Anya was the one to exile me. Before your people arrived here."

Clarke could not help but feel slightly sympathetic towards the man. All that time he had been alone. She could not imagine being forced into that situation. Yes, she had been alone since she left Camp Jaha, but she had chose to do that. She could return any time. She would still be able to see her friends. Caliban would not be able to see the people he grew up with. His closest friends. Any children he may have. Clarke could not imagine having to live like that. As she took the time to think over everything, letting the new information sink in, she could not help but wonder why Lexa had been looking for him. He had said he did not dare cross in to their lands, but Lexa had heard that he had been trespassing?

Caliban seemed to take notice that Clarke was thinking, and raised a hand to stop her from speaking when she looked up at him, mouth slightly open as if she was about to say something and face slightly confused.

"No more questions today. You must eat. I must go. May we meet again, Clarke of the sky people." Caliban said, his voice strong and steady as he spoke.

Clarke had no chance to protest, as he had already turned and left the clearing. She attempt to look for him, but the dark of the forest offered no signs of the grounder. She let out a sigh. Her questions would have to wait for another day. At least she had a little more insight on the situation, but she did feel slightly nervous. She now knew that he had been watching her since her first day on Earth. And he would continue to watch her to make sure she was safe. The thought made her a little uneasy, but she did not fear him. She just did not like the idea of having someone constantly follow her.

She gazed up at the sky, wondering how long she had been asleep for. She was no longer tired, but she knew she could not stay out in the clearing. It would be foolish of her to stay in the open at this time of night. So, she hoisted herself to her feet with a groan of pain. She held onto her leg, willing the pain to go as she kicked dirt on to the fire to extinguish the flames. Clarke bit back a scream as she began to walk, slowly but surely, in to the drop ship. She would not be able to climb the ladders tonight, so she settled down on the floor opposite the doorway. She would be able to see anything that came in this way, since she figured she was not going to sleep after all the rest she already had.

With a final sigh, Clarke got herself comfortable, head resting against the wall and eyes focused on the entrance as she processed the conversation. She went over every little detail, still trying to figure out why Caliban had been exiled. And why he was so damn familiar. Perhaps she would find out tomorrow.

* * *

**AN: These chapters seem to be getting longer. Well, I wanted to add in a bit more but it was getting too long. There is a lot of talking in this one, but I thought it was about time Clarke had a little bit of an insight in to Caliban's life. I did not want to reveal too much though. There were some good ideas on who he might be. Any new ones after this chapter? Drop a review, favorite or follow if you like it.**

**Heda kom Trikru - commander of the tree people.**

**Stedaunon don gon we en kikon ste enti - The dead are gone and the living are hungry. So Caliban was pretty much saying that he should not grieve for the loss.**


	4. Chapter 4

The time seemed to pass quickly as Clarke thought hard about the conversation with Caliban. It seemed like meer minutes before the sun was shining, light streaming through the plastic sheets hanging in the doorway. She grabbed on to the ladder, using it to help her hoist herself up. Her leg was still in quite a lot of pain, and it would probably be rather sore for another few days.

She made an attempt to hobble towards the doorway, but found it extremely difficult as the feeling of pins and needles in her foot hindered her walking even more than the leg wound. She had been sat in one spot, unmoving, for several hours until the sun was shining so this feeling was to be expected.

When Clarke was outside the drop ship, her gaze instantly fell on the plate from last night. The meat had gone, but she had not eaten it. Despite her promise to Caliban, she had completely forgot about the food when she had retired in to the drop ship. Oh well. She was not that hungry any way. She took a moment to lean against the side of the drop ship, looking out over the clearing as she thought about what she would do today. Honestly, she was beginning to miss her friends, and her mother. It had been nearly a week since she had left, and she had nearly gotten herself killed twice. She would be dead if it was not for Caliban. He was the only reason she was alive. She could not survive out here alone. She needed to go back. She needed to face everything. Besides, she had finally been able to get her mind off of everything that had happened, so she had at least gotten a little bit of peace.

She had not yet made up her mind, so she just slid down the side of the drop ship, careful of her injured leg. She rested her head against the cool metal as she stared in to the distance. Was she ready to go back to Camp Jaha? She felt it, but she did not know if she would be able to deal with everything once she saw her friends again. Maybe she should stay away for a little while longer.

* * *

The camp was very busy as armed guards went about their daily duties around camp. Two were stationed at the gate, just like always. But something about today seemed different. More patrols had been sent out to scout the nearby area. And more guards were stationed around the electric wire fencing. Were they expecting something bad?

"Bellamy!" A feminine voice called, causing the brown haired boy to turn his head to his sister.

"Hi, O," he replied, offering a small smile.

"Abby wants to see you," Octavia said to him, taking a seat on the log beside him.

Bellamy nodded as he looked around for the chancellor, but could see no sign of the older brunette woman. He turned back to his younger sister when she once again interrupted his thoughts.

"She is in her tent."

Once more, Bellamy nodded to Octavia. He smiled at her before they both stood up off the log and headed in opposite directions. Octavia to who-knows-where and Bellamy towards Abby's tent. When he arrived, he announced his arrival before the chancellor called him in.

"How are you?" Abby asked, a rather odd smile on her face.

"I am well," Bellamy replied politely, but could not help wondering why she was interested.

"That is good." Abby then said, quiet for a moment after before adding in, "But that is not the topic of our conversation. Have you received any word from Clarke?"

The penny dropped as Bellamy caught on the her real motives, "Unfortunately, no. It has been nearly a week, and I have not seen or heard anything of her. But do not worry. Clarke will return soon."

Abby shook her head, letting out a sigh. "I am worried for her. I understand why she needs to be alone, but it is not safe for her to be alone. We have not seen any grounders recently, but we suspect they will not take kindly to us after what happened at war."

Before Abby could continue, Bellamy decided to jump in. "I know that you worry, I am afraid for her as well. But Clarke is smart. She has managed to keep us all alive so far. And she knows better than to head in to grounder territory alone."

"The grounders are not my only fear." Abby let out, barely above a whisper. She gazed at Bellamy for a moment until she had decided she could confide in him. "We know that the bone marrow treatments worked on the Mountain Men. Some were able to walk on the surface. Mount Weather has been searched, but we were unable to find Cane or Emmerson. We know they were treated with the bone marrow, so they are still at large. Patrols have been increased, they may want revenge on us for what happened inside Mount Weather. But we also do not know if there are any other survivors; people that had already been treated."

Bellamy took a moment for it to sink in, before looking up at Abby. His eyes were desperate as he asked, "Let me go in search of Clarke. If what you say is true, then she will not be safe anywhere. She may not be willing to return yet, but it is our only choice to keep her safe."

"That is partly why I called you here." Abby replied, "I can not spare the guards to look for her. But you are her friend and she will listen to you if you find her."

Bellamy looked shocked for all of a second before he nodded with a smile. As he was turning to leave the tent, in order to gather supplies he would need, Abby called him back. Bellamy turned back to the commander.

"I would advise taking some of your other friends with you, as well. It would not be safe alone. But make sure they will not be missed by the others. I do not want a ruckus caused in camp because of a disappearance," with that, Abby dismissed him.

Now back out in the camp, Bellamy looked around for the people who would be most willing to help. But it would not do to just seek out the people who owed Clarke their lives, he needed to recruit the help of Clarke's closest friends. With a nod, Bellamy set off in the direction Octavia had gone when he had seen her. Sure enough, he found her sharpening a stick with her dagger.

"O, I need your help." Bellamy said, looking around to make sure no one could hear. "Meet me behind my tent in ten." And with that, he left Octavia alone.

The next person on his radar was Jasper. He had managed to find the goggle wearing boy sitting with Monty, chatting in the middle of camp. He was not sure about Monty, but he figured that he was close enough to Clarke to help out. As he approached, Bellamy made sure no one was nearby. He came to a stop by the side of the two boys, and hesitantly checked to see if anyone was listening before he crouched down beside them.

"I need you to help me. Meet me behind my tent in ten." He said barely above a whisper.

He looked up the the two, and saw the confusion and uncertainty on their faces so he decided that he would offer at least a little something to convince them.

"I will explain then. Just trust me, Abby wants us to do something fairly important."

At that, the two boys nodded. They were all for helping out the chancellor, but they were still a little bit skeptical about the idea of sneaking around. If it were the chancellor's orders, why could no one else know? Before they had a chance to ask, Bellamy was gone.

He had retreated in to the mechanics workshop, in the hopes of finding Raven there. Preferably without Wick. Unlucky for him, as soon as he walked through the door, he was greeted by Wick. He spotted Raven working on something towards the back of the room, so he headed over to her and tentatively tapped her shoulder. Raven looked up and offered a smile at seeing the boy, they were by no means close but she still considered him a friend.

"Can I speak with you alone?" Bellamy instantly asked her, looking at Wick.

Raven glanced over at Wick, before nodding. "I'll be back soon, cover for me." she called to the other man before taking Bellamy's wrist and leading him out of the back door, to a secluded area at the back of the camp.

"What can I help you with?" she asked him, arms crossed over her chest.

"I have Octavia, Jasper and Monty waiting behind my tent for me. Abby has asked me to go look for Clarke. Something has come up, and we need to know Clarke is safe. The only way we can do that, is by bringing her back. But at the minute, with the grounders being kind of a threat, she can not send guards. No one can know, or they will argue against it and we do not have the time." Bellamy began to explain, but was interrupted by Raven.

"So, what do you need me for?" She asked, raising a brow. She had not fully forgiven Clarke for what she did to Finn, but she acknowledged that it was the only way to spare him from the torture he would surely have suffered. And the two were too close to continue the hostility, so Raven had been least trying to be nicer to the blonde.

"Cut the power to the fence. Only for two minute. Enough time for us to get out. And it would be great if you could give us radio's so we can stay in contact with Abby."

Raven thought for a moment before nodding, "I can do that," she confirmed. "I will bring you the radio's now. After I cut the power, you will have two minutes. After that, she will be live again. Got it?"

At Bellamy's firm nod, the dark haired girl disappeared back in to the mechanics workshop. A few moments later, she returned with two radio's. Bellamy looked at them, brow raised slightly. It would have been better if they could have one each, but he knew someone might take notice.

"Sorry, but two is the most I can get without anyone noticing," Raven said with a shrug. She set the frequency before handing the two over to Bellamy, "I will radio through once the power is dead." And with that, she was gone.

Bellamy wasted no time. He hid the radio's in his jacket, making sure no one saw him, before quickly making his way to his tent. As soon as he was there, he spotted Octavia, Jasper and Monty waiting anxiously.

"What was so secretive we had to all meet here?" Octavia asked.

"After what happened in the mountain," Bellamy started, casting an apologetic look to Jasper, "Cane and Emmerson escaped. They were both treated with the bone marrow. There could be more that managed to escape. If that is the case, Clarke is not safe alone. We have done our best to give her time, but Abby is worried about her daughters well being. We need to-" he was interrupted by Jasper.

"Sorry, but I can not go with you. I have things to do here. Besides, what happened in the mountain was her fault."

Bellamy shot the boy a glare, "Are you forgetting why she did that in the first place? She did it to save our people. She did not know what you were planning. For all she knew, if she had waited another minute, her mother would have been dead. At the hands of the Mountain Men. And she was not the only one to blame. I pulled the lever as well." He was trying not to yell, so he took a moment to calm himself down before he continued. "She saved your life, too. Remember? When you went looking for Mount Weather. You were attacked and taken by the grounders. She was the one to suggest we look for you. She lead us there. She brought you back. She saved your life when she helped the infection you had from the wound, as well. Or had you forgotten about that?"

Jasper gulped, looking away from Bellamy. He was right, of course. Clarke had saved his life. At some point, Clarke had probably saved all of their lives. If it was not for her, he would not be alive right now. Bellamy could see that Jasper still did not seem convinced, so he let out a heavy sigh.

"I know it is hard for you to forgive her. But she needs your forgiveness. She feels the weight of so many deaths, but it is not her fault. She is feeling guilt and needs help washing away some of the blood on her hands. After all she has done for you, do you not think you owe her as much?" Bellamy asked, desperately trying to get Jasper to agree.

Octavia cast her own gaze down to the ground, thinking about what her brother had said. He was, of course, correct. Clarke had done so much for her people. She always thought about her people. The best way to ensure the safety and happiness of her people. Octavia knew she had a part to play in Clarke's guilt for what had happened in Tondc. She understood why Clarke could not tell everyone. She may not fully forgive Clarke for it, but she knew that it was not only Clarke's fault. Clarke needed forgiveness to heal, so it was Octavia's duty to give it her. They were still friends after all.

"I am in." Octavia finally spoke, causing the three boys to look at her. "Clarke has only ever thought of her people. It is time someone thought about her."

Bellamy could not help but smile at his sister's willingness. After a moment, both Monty and Jasper finally agreed to help as well. So, Bellamy had handed Monty one of the radio's and he kept the other. Before long, Raven radioed through to them. The power was down. The four of them quickly ducked through the wire, before running to the forest. They needed to get out of the open so that no one would see them leaving.

Once in the cover of the trees, Bellamy came to a halt. He took a few deep breaths, as his heart was beating a little faster. A moment later, he turned to the other three who were staring at him waiting for orders.

"Okay, since we were only able to get two radios, we need to try and stay as close together as possible. But partner up. If anything happens, split up with your partner. Keep each other safe." He explained, casting a glance at Octavia. Of course, his sister would be his partner.

When everything was settled, they began the journey through the forest again. Bellamy had been thinking about where to look first, and it only took him a few seconds before he knew where the best place to check was. But, before he had a chance to tell the others where they were heading, Octavia had asked him.

"We are going to the only people who know the forest better than us." Bellamy replied.

At this, Octavia could not help but smile as she turned to focus on the path they were taking.

"Tondc," she whispered, glad to be going back to the grounders.

Octavia had to admit, she was rather excited to see the Woods Clan again, since she had made many friends there during her time as Indra's second. She had proved herself, and had found that some of the other seconds even looked up to her in a way. Even though she was looking forward to visiting, her heart ached at the thought of seeing the ruins. She knew that reparations would be underway, but it would sadden her to see the state the missile had left the grounders in.

However, Jasper and Monty were not so keen on visiting grounders. Whilst the alliance had formed, the two had been inside Mount Weather. They had not experienced the good side of the grounders, only the bad. It made sense that they were unsure. But, none of them dared speak up so they kept their heads down as they followed Bellamy and Octavia, anticipating what would happen in Tondc.

* * *

**AN: I was not planning on putting this one up until tomorrow, but I had to split the last one up so I decided to go ahead and upload it. **

**And, just a quick note. A guest made a review on the topic of Anya. 'Anya was never the commander in canon' I know this, but it is necessary for this specific plot line. I believe they also mentioned Lexa was already commander then? Actually, she was not commander. Lexa tells Clarke that she was Anya's second, and Anya has been referred to as the Grounder Princess by Bellamy at the meeting on the bridge. We do not actually know who the commander before Lexa was, but it is only clear that they died, making Lexa the commander, thus now outranking Anya. But, like I said, Anya being the previous commander is key to this plot.**

**Drop a review. Favorite or follow if you liked it.**

**The next chapter will either be a rather long one, or it will be split again (One for Bellamy, O, Jasper and Monty doing their stuff and one for Clarke doing her stuff.)**


	5. Chapter 5

With Bellamy and Octavia taking the lead, making small talk, Jasper was left trudging along a few meters back beside Monty. He did not like the idea of visiting the grounders, but if it would help them find Clarke, he couldn't complain. And he was pretty sure that Bellamy wouldn't let him argue against it, anyway.

The brown haired boy jumped a little, letting out a slight squeal when Monty poked him in his side.

"You okay? You looked a little off.." Monty commented, worried for his friend.

Jasper nodded, "I'm just not sure about the grounders. The last time, I had a spear poking out of my chest. And they didn't exactly help us defeat Mount Weather. Why would they help us now?"

"Bellamy knows what he's doing. Clarke must have been close to the commander if he thinks she'll know where Clarke is." Monty replied.

"But how can we trust them?" Jasper asked.

It was true. They couldn't really trust the grounders. For all they knew, the grounders could appear to help before leading them in to a trap.

Monty let out a sigh as he shrugged, "We can't. But we can trust Bellamy."

With that, Jasper quietened for a bit. He set his gaze on Octavia, now taking note of how different she looked since he had seen her before the mountain. She now wore braids in her hair, common among grounders. Her clothes were dirty and worn, but then again, all of their clothes were. In general, she looked more.. toughened. In a way.

Jasper was once again snapped out of his thoughts as Monty poked his side. He turned to his friend, who had a slightly smug look on his face.

"Check this out," he said as he held up the walkie talkie Bellamy had given them. He pressed the button before speaking in to it, "Why, hey there. This is Mr. Sweet Love, talking to you fine ladies out there."

Jasper couldn't help but laugh at his friend. Monty always had a good sense of humor, and the two often found fun together. Their laughter was cut short when a voice came back through the radio.

"Hey, you wanna keep the frequency free just in case something important happens? Both I and Abby have radio's waiting for updates." Raven's voice was a little crackly, but the two boys heard it.

"Sorry," Monty quickly replied before handing Jasper the radio.

Bellamy turned to look at the two boys, "We can also hear anything you say." He reminded them as he held up his own radio, chuckling a little.

Monty's head fell as he stared at the ground. He had not meant for himself to look like an idiot.

"At least it was funny," Jasper said with a smile.

The rest of the journey had been silent, but it was only a few hours after that the four of them reached Tondc. Bellamy had ordered both Jasper and Monty to wait just outside the village, listening to their radio in case anything happened.

Bellamy and Octavia were stood outside of Lexa's tent, listening to Indra speak to the commander.

"What's she saying?" Bellamy asked, turning to look at his sister.

"Indra is telling Lexa that we're here." Octavia replied, only half listening to the conversation. She was looking around in the hopes of finding Lincoln, but she could not see him anywhere.

"You may enter," Indra coldly said to them. Octavia had not even notice her previous mentor leave the tent, but nodded to the other woman as she followed Bellamy in to the tent.

She could see that Lexa still had the emotionless look on her face. Nothing had really changed about the commander, but Octavia could sense that something seemed a little off about her.

"What do you want?" Lexa asked, obviously impatient. "Our alliance is over. There is no need for you to be here. I will only tolerate so much before I order your death."

"We are looking for Clarke," Bellamy said. "She left after we took down the mountain, but it isn't safe for her to be alone."

At this news, Lexa raised a brow. She was silent for a moment, wondering whether or not to tell the siblings that she had seen Clarke in her own village. She knew Clarke would have a good reason to not go back, but Bellamy was right. It was not safe for her. So, Lexa nodded.

"Clarke was here. She said something of a protector. A reaper attacked her, but someone saved her." Lexa replied, eyes fixed on Bellamy.

"Do you know where she could be now?" Octavia chimed in, stepping forwards a little.

"I do not. But she said she had been at the drop ship. If she is still there, I would advise leaving now." Lexa said, watching as the two turned to leave. She stood up, and held out a hand. "Wait." They turned back to her, "I will come with you. We must find the man following her. He is a traitor and must be found."

Bellamy and Octavia exchanged a look, but nodded before following Lexa out of the tent. Lexa called Indra to fetch her a horse, along with two for Bellamy and Octavia. While Lexa was distracted with Indra and the horses, Bellamy took out the walkie talkie.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but Lexa is coming with us to the drop ship. We'll be on horses, Monty and Jasper, follow behind us. Keep up, but stay hidden. We might need you if things turn sour." Bellamy whispered in to the radio.

"Copy that. Be careful." Came Jasper's voice through the radio.

They knew that Raven and Abby were probably listening in as well, but Bellamy put the radio back in to his pocket when Lexa approached them.

"So, this traitor. What exactly did he do?" Octavia asked as Bellamy helped her up onto the horse.

"That is not of your concern," Lexa replied as she too pulled herself onto the horse.

When they were all on their horses, Lexa began to trot out of the village. Octavia, just behind Lexa, looked around once more as they were leaving. He eyes scanned for Lincoln, but once more, she could not find him. Bellamy looked around, wondering what Octavia was looking for. After a moment, it hit him, and he sped up a little so he was beside Lexa.

"Where's Lincoln?" He asked the question he knew Octavia was dying to know.

"Lincoln was being held prisoner. But he managed to escape. We have not seen him since." Lexa replied, gaze unmoving.

"Is he the traitor you're looking for?" Octavia asked from behind.

"No. Caliban betrayed our Clan long before Sky People landed here. He failed to do his job, and in the process, twelve young children were killed. The punishment for that is death by a thousand cuts. But instead, Anya was merciful. She banished him, allowing him to live as long as he stayed away from our lands. But recently, news has reached me that he has been spotted hunting on our grounds." Lexa explained.

Bellamy was silent, he had nothing else to say. He did not know who Caliban was. Octavia was about to say something when Lexa stopped the horse, holding a hand above her head for Bellamy and Octavia to stop as well.

Octavia looked around, hoping it was not Jasper and Monty being too noisy. But, she could not hear anything.

"What is it?" the girl asked, still looking around.

Lexa ignored her as she slid off of her horse, taking out her sword from the sheath on her back. Cautiously, she walked towards where she had heard the sound. Bellamy motioned for Octavia to stay where she was as he followed the commander, wondering what it was she had heard.

When Lexa moved a bush, she was not expecting what she found. Bellamy peered over the bush and his jaw dropped. What the hell?

"Caliban," Lexa called to the grounder, sword held out. That's when she also noticed the blonde girl sat a little bit away from him, "Clarke," this time, she sounded a little confused.

"Lexa!" Clarke all but yelled as she jumped to her feet. "What are you doing here?" She asked, seething anger. Why was Lexa there?

Bellamy then stepped out from behind the bush, to make himself known to Clarke and the grounder. He was silent as he looked between the two, unsure of what was going on.

"Bellamy was looking for you. And I was looking for him." Lexa replied, now glaring at the traitor.

Caliban frantically shook his head, "Lexa, you do not understand. I have not been on your land. I have heard the rumors, but they are not true," he defended himself.

"Ryder has seen you himself." Lexa retorted, still aiming the sword at him.

At this, Caliban's face grew angry as he stood tall, taking a step towards the commander.

"Whoa, back off a little." Bellamy called to the grounder, holding up his hands.

Caliban ignored Bellamy as he focused on Lexa. He took in her form, how much she had grown. Her hair was styled in an intricate set of braids. He remembered her always wearing beads, but never this complex. She was a lot taller, but still fairly short. She had not changed much, but at the same time, she had changed completely.

"Ryder has no right to accuse me. I have not been on your land. If you do not believe me, take my life right now."

Lexa took a moment before she let out a grunt and pushed her sword back into the sheath.

"No evidence has been presented on either side. I propose a trial by combat; a fight to the death. If you win, you are free to leave, un-accused." Lexa called over to him.

Caliban dipped his head, before turning to look at Clarke. He was about to say something, but Octavia now made herself known as she rushed to stand in front of Clarke.

"Clarke, what the hell are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Does it matter?" Clarke retorted, attempting to take a step away from Octavia.

Octavia felt the hurt when Clarke rejected her, feeling she may have lots the girl's friendship forever. "We're all worried about you, Clarke."

"I just needed time. I'm fine. Caliban has been watching out for me. I don't know why, yet. But he's been helping me learn to fight and hunt so I can take care of myself."

"Look, Clarke," Bellamy began, stepping over to his friend. "Cage and Emerson were not found in the mountain. They're still out there. And we don't know if there are any other's already treated with bone marrow out there. Even if you learn to defend yourself, they will have guns. What do you have?"

Clarke looked away, her gaze focusing on the ground as she let a tear slip out. She did not even hear Lexa announce her departure along with Caliban before the two grounder's made their way to the horses to go back to Tondc.

"I'm not ready to go back. I can't look at any of you without feeling everything." Clarke tried to explain.

"Clarke. Look at me." Octavia lifted Clarke's chin to force her to look at her. "I forgive you. I forgive you for what happened in Tondc. By doing that, you saved my brothers life. I don't have to like what you did. But I forgive you. You did what you had to. I can't blame you for that."

Clarke could feel the tears running freely down her cheeks. She wasn't expecting Octavia to forgive her, but it sure helped. She still felt a lot of guilt. But at least she knew she hadn't lost everything. The blonde stumbled forwards, wrapping her arms around Octavia and burying her face in her neck as she cried freely. She felt Bellamy's hand on her back.

"I forgive you, Clarke."

The three of them looked up to see Jasper standing at the edge of the clearing with Monty. Jasper looked down at the ground as he took in a deep breath.

"It will take us a while to get back to where we were. But when you pulled that trigger, you were only thinking about saving everyone. I know you saw that I was captured, and Octavia about to be captured. You had no choice. I understand that. And I forgive you. I want you to come home, so we can move on and rebuild our friendship. Forget about the pain. It doesn't matter. You've saved my life more times than I can count, and I don't want to see you get hurt out here." Jasper said, as he now moved forwards.

Clarke let out a smile as she wrapped her arms around Jasper. "Thanks. I needed that," she whispered. "Let's go home," she then announced, pulling back and wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Whenever you're ready, princess." Bellamy replied with a genuine smile as he spoke through the radio, to let Abby and Raven know that they were coming home.

* * *

**AN: I was not able to update over the weekend due to essays, but I have been going through previous chapters and am in the process of reading over stuff. I have a habit of not shortening words, so I am trying to do that in previous chapters and I will look out for it in future ones. Next chapter is Caliban and Lexa stuff. This chapter was meant to be split in two, but I decided I wanted it this way.**

**Drop a review. Favorite or follow if you liked it. Have a good day.**


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